Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, director Ryan Coogler's FRUITVALE STATION follows the true story of Oscar Grant (Michael B.… MoreWinner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, director Ryan Coogler's FRUITVALE STATION follows the true story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and feels something in the air. Not sure what it is, he takes it as a sign to get a head start on his resolutions: being a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer), whose birthday falls on New Year's Eve, being a better partner to his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz), who he hasn't been completely honest with as of late, and being a better father to Tatiana (Ariana Neal), their beautiful four year-old daughter. Crossing paths with friends, family, and strangers, Oscar starts out well, but as the day goes on, he realizes that change is not going to come easily. His resolve takes a tragic turn, however, when BART officers shoot him in cold blood at the Fruitvale subway stop on New Year's Day. Oscar's life and tragic death would shake the Bay Area - and the entire nation - to its very core. (c) Weinstein

It's hard not to watch Fruitvale Station with a coiled dread... Yet, Coogler's greatest achievement may be in reminding us that Grant was a work in progress with people who loved him in spite of his flaws and because of his hopes.

Nijla Mu'min

Shadow and Act

This is a film for the people, a film for feelers and thinkers who want to see a story about a flawed person who loved his daughter and family.

The intimacy of debut writer-director Ryan Coogler's approach to the film and the no-frills, believably real quality of the main performances combine to drive the senselessness of Oscar's killing home with visceral impact.

You wonder if Coogler would have felt freer had Grant somehow lived that night, if the director weren't put in a position where he felt the need to honor the dead by bringing him to dramatic life. But he believes in his ambition.

A tragic story of intolerance and injustice that sustains an ubiquitous tension right from the first scene (when we are told how it all ends) and eschews any… MoreA tragic story of intolerance and injustice that sustains an ubiquitous tension right from the first scene (when we are told how it all ends) and eschews any hint of melodrama, showing Oscar as a three-dimensional person with qualities and flaws in order to remind us of the value of human life.

Daniel Perry

Based on a true story, and beginning with its ending, there should be no tension in this movie - you know how it will turn out. And yet, the run-up is… MoreBased on a true story, and beginning with its ending, there should be no tension in this movie - you know how it will turn out. And yet, the run-up is compelling and honest quotidian drama, and the young leads Michael B. Jordan (veteran of The Wire, no surprise) and Melonie Diaz create characters you truly invest in. Gritty, beautiful film without a contrived plot; a kind of "in memoriam" movie that's realistic and unsentimental. Refreshing!

Dan Schultz

A riveting, incredibly well-acted account of the last hours in the life of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) before he was wrongly shot by police after a fight… MoreA riveting, incredibly well-acted account of the last hours in the life of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) before he was wrongly shot by police after a fight broke out early on New Year's Day at a train station. The film takes a look at his family, his troubled past, his unknown future, and the kind of man he was in general. While there are many parts of the movie in which the viewer will ask themselves, "I wonder if that was REALLY true", it is undeniable that this movie is a powerhouse, led by a masterful, heartbreaking performance from Michael B. Jordan. It is a travesty that Jordan did not receive an Oscar nomination. It is one of those movies where you obviously know how it is going to end, and that makes it a somber view, before it explodes at its finale and shows how a young life was lost at the hands of an aggressive police unit who clearly overstepped their bounds.

Nate Zoebl

In the early hours of New Year's Day in 2009, 22-year-old Oscar Grant was forcefully escorted off the Oakland transit system by armed officers. He was… MoreIn the early hours of New Year's Day in 2009, 22-year-old Oscar Grant was forcefully escorted off the Oakland transit system by armed officers. He was believed to be involved in some sort of gang-related scuffle on the train. Over the din of confusion, shouting, and anger, Oscar was shot and killed by a transit cop. His death sparked waves of outrage in his hometown and grabbed national headlines. Ryan Coogler was so passionate about Oscar's death that he decided to write and direct a movie detailing the last hours of Grant's life. He snagged Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer (The Help) to star, attached Forrest Whitaker (Lee Daniels' The Butler) as a producer, and the ensuing film, Fruitvale Station, debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and won the top honors. Thanks to Coogler, many more people will have a chance to get to know Oscar Grant as a person rather than an unfortunate statistic.
Coogler creates a remarkable debut film for himself, one where the details of life feel richly realized and observed. Sure there are obvious symbolic metaphors introduced like boiling lobsters and a lost dog that dies in Oscar's arms (yes, foreshadowing), but as a whole Fruitvale Station feels like real life transposed onto celluloid. Coogler also works hard to humanize all the participants in his film, save for the transit cops at the end. There is a refreshing lack of judgment throughout the film as people are allowed to be the ambiguous creatures we are. No more so than Oscar. He has moments that make you wince, but mostly we watch a man struggling to get his life in order. He's terrific with his daughter, loving and naturally attentive; he puts his family's needs ahead of his own when it comes to money; he even helps a stranger learn how flash fry a fish, though there's a hint of flirtation guiding his actions. But he also can't hold onto a job, has trouble being more actionable in his life's decisions, and temptation is always banging on his door to lead him back to prison. He's a complicated man and Jordan (Chronicle) masterfully brings the man and his complexities to life. This is a star-making performance by Jordan (as was his turn on The Wire) and I was stunned at how easily Jordan dissolves completely into his role. There isn't a physical nuance or line delivery that feels false. It's a sympathetic humanization and Jordan's performance is a gift. Combined with Coogler's deft handling, Fruitvale Station is engrossing.
For much of the film I felt like I was attending a funeral. It's hard to watch at times, especially watching Oscar's family wait at the hospital for the news we already know is coming. It reminded me of 2006's United 93, where the overwhelming sense of dread held over every scene, every innocuous moment held the extra weight that it would be the last time this person was doing this or talking to this person; the dread of waiting for the end we all know is coming. Coogler opens his film with real phone video recordings of the death of Oscar Grant, so from the first moment on we're awaiting the horrible inevitability. I suppose it gives every moment an extra dimension of pathos, and to some this may be cheap and easy, but it all comes down to perspective. Surely if you knew the final day of your life, you'd likely find extra meaning in the simplest things, bidding goodbye in a thousand different subtle ways. This message isn't exactly new; it was already old when Thornton Wilder hammered it home in his 1937 play Our Town. Carpe Diem, seize the day, live every moment like it's your last, stop and smell the roses; you get the idea. And so, the entire running time of Fruitvale Station is a mournful examination on the contradictions, complexities, and connections of a single human life.
Oscar Grant is not lionized as a saint nor is he vilified as some mindless thug without redemption. Carefully, Coogler constructs a complicated man struggling to right his life. Through flashbacks we see he's spent time in prison, and he's got a quick flash of a temper that can lead him into impulsive and violent confrontations. It's significant that we see this prison flashback to summarize completely the life Oscar is trying not to return to. The temptation is always present to fall back on old patterns of comfort, namely cheating on his girlfriend (he has a lot of girls' numbers in his phone) and going back to selling drugs to make ends meet. Oscar's ongoing struggle with personal responsibility has cost him his supermarket job (he was late far too often), and he's kept this news to himself, choosing not to worry those close to him. But his options are limited as an ex-con, let alone a guy fighting his own demons, but he keeps fighting because the Oscar we see, the glimpses of what he could become, are one who wants to be better. He dumps his supply of drugs rather than go through with a sale. The gesture is noble but also partially self-destructive from a pragmatically financial way of thinking. He's in a deeper hole, money-wise, but he seems committed to making the change. A late encounter with a kind stranger also provides the possibility of a new job, a new chance, one that seems all the more tragic because we know it is a promise that will never be captured. Oscar Grant was likely never going to be a man who changed the world. He was an ordinary man. But we still mourn the death of ordinary men, even those who have made mistakes and are fallible.
It's impossible to view Fruitvale Station without its relevant connections to the Trayvon Martin case of 2012. Both of these men were black youths deemed to be "up to no good" with quick judgment skewed by prevailing racial bias. Both men were killed for being viewed as threats due to their race and gender. However, unlike Trayvon, we have a litany of witnesses and video evidence documenting the senseless execution of Oscar Grant. That transit officer argued he mistook his tazer for his gun because, surely, a suspect who is already handcuffed, face down on the ground, and having his head pressed down with the boot of an officer, surely that man needs to be tazed just for good measure. That officer, by the way, served 11 months of a two-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter (justice served?). It's senseless tragedy built upon miscalculated racial alarm, and the reason we have a movie, the reason there were riots in Oakland, is because this specific case had witnesses. How many other innocent young men die every year because someone wrongly and hastily deemed them to be "up to no good"?
Coogler isn't trying to stir the pot of racial animus or deify Oscar Grant into some martyr for the cause. Fruitvale Station only follows the last day of Oscar Grant's life but in doing so it becomes an illumination of a human life. Oscar was an ordinary man before he met so unfortunate an end, but Coogler wants us to remember him not simply as a newspaper headline, but as a person. It's a worthy endeavor that succeeds heartily but may prove to be dull to many, including several of my own friends and critical colleagues. I can't argue that the life of Oscar Grant is notable to follow beyond the sad final twenty minutes. But that doesn't bother me, because with the talents of Coogler and Jordan and their indomitable sense of purpose, the film becomes a fitting portrait of Oscar Grant as a human being and a life lived, not just a life prematurely extinguished. It's powerful, upsetting, brimming with emotion and fury, and it's also eerily relevant to today and will, I fear, only continue to be more relevant as the next Oscar Grant or Trayvon Martin captures the national spotlight. Coogler's excellently realized film is a eulogy to an ordinary man, flaws and all, but also a call to do better.
Nate's Grade: A-

Pierluigi Puccini

Michael B. Jordan excels in a sensitive portrayal of a troubled young man, unaware that his time is running out. A poignant story with simple but gripping… MoreMichael B. Jordan excels in a sensitive portrayal of a troubled young man, unaware that his time is running out. A poignant story with simple but gripping storytelling.

Matthew Samuel Mirliani

Well-paced, well-crafted, and ultimately heartbreaking, Fruitvale Station is a short but timely film that tells an important story.

Josh Lewis

For me, 2013 has been kind of a down year in terms of quality cinema, but Fruitvale Station is one of the best films I have seen this year and deserves a wider… MoreFor me, 2013 has been kind of a down year in terms of quality cinema, but Fruitvale Station is one of the best films I have seen this year and deserves a wider audience than it will probably get. This is a true story and some people stay away from those, but the story is powerful enough that I think the film will work for people that don't like true stories. The acting is great and the movie is gritty and realistic. Throughout the film there is an overwhelming sense of dread and the suspense slowly keeps coming until it gets to the point where every move that every character makes you are just waiting for something horrible to happen. I was completely absorbed the entire time. I'm looking forward to future endeavors from all these newcomers involved. Truly a great film.

Mark Walker

I have to admit that the events that took place involving Oscar Grant on December 31st, 2009, weren't all that familiar to me. I have vague memories of… MoreI have to admit that the events that took place involving Oscar Grant on December 31st, 2009, weren't all that familiar to me. I have vague memories of hearing something but there wasn't very much UK media coverage about this day. As a result, I went into this film rather blind and for those that find themselves in the same situation as myself, I'd advise that they leave it that way. It makes the story all the more effective and hard-hitting but even if you are aware of this man and what happened, there's still no denying how raw and effecting this film truly is.
22 year-old Bay Area resident Oscar Grant (Michael B.Jordan) has a bit of colourful past but he wants to change so that he can be a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer), a better partner to his girlfriend (Melonie Diaz) and, most importantly, a better father to his young daughter (Ariana Neal). However he hard he tries, though, his fate isn't always in his own hands.
In the event of giving away too many details, I'll try to avoid spoilers where I can here. I'm sure that by now, most people will be aware of how the events played out, either by reading others' reviews or being aware of it first hand but it's not my intention to reveal anything for those that are still in the dark. As previously mentioned I knew very little about the story other than hearing some glowing reviews (which I largely avoided) and that the film won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. These were enough to know that I had to check the film out. I'm really glad I did, but it also left me speechless. When the end credits were rolling, I sat in silence with the emotional weight almost too heavy to bare.
This is a heartfelt and harrowing story that benefits all the more from first time director Ryan Cooglar's documentary like approach. There is a heavy sense of realism and the largely unknown cast, deliver fantastic performances. The real standout is, of course, a towering lead performance by Michael B. Jordan. The only time I've seen this actor was in 2012's impressive found-footage film "Chronicle" but after this, I'm certain we'll be seeing a lot more of him. This young actor is a real talent and he brings the requisite heart and commitment to portraying Oscar Grant. He makes sure that we empathise with his character despite his personal flaws and maintains the balance of a story that could easily have fell too far into sentiment or manipulation. Oscar Grant was a family man but he was by no means perfect. He struggled to provide for his family and had served time in prison for drug dealing, as well as possessing a temper that would often get him in trouble. Despite these failings, his heart always seemed in the right place and Jordan displays a whole myriad of emotions to capture this flawed individual striving for a better life. Will Jordan be remembered when the Academy Award nominations are handed out? Probably not, but I certainly wouldn't complain if he did feature. He delivers one of the performances of the year here.
With all this in mind, it would seem that this is a downbeat and depressing film. It's not. For the most part, we are given an intimate glimpse into this man's life and there are many positives to be taken from it. The approach is naturalistic and never comes across as intrusive or with a heavy heart. That is... until the devastatingly, visceral and emotional finale.
With a solid, multi-dimensional, leading performance that's reminiscent of a young Denzel Washington, Michael B. Jordan will not go unrecognised. Nor will the very talented writer-director Ryan Cooglar who, in his debut, delivers one the best and most harrowing films of 2013.
Mark Walker

Spencer S.

While racially motivated police violence isn't anything new, "Fruitvale Station" is a feature to watch in our present political climate, in lieu… MoreWhile racially motivated police violence isn't anything new, "Fruitvale Station" is a feature to watch in our present political climate, in lieu of ongoing protests around the country. Directed by Ryan Coogler, who won Sundance's Grand Jury Prize in Drama, "Fruitvale Station" depicts the 24 hours before Oscar Grant's death at the hands of transit police, on New Year's Day 2009. The film features actual footage from the shooting, and the protest at the BART station one year later. Jordan stars as Grant, a man who is characterized as having a troubled, often tumultuous life. Recently out of prison, fired for being late to work, and dealing marijuana on the side, Grant has all the makings of a careless criminal. Inversely Grant is a considerate and sweet natured individual who takes care of his daughter and girlfriend, loves his mother, is friendly to strangers, and hopes for a better future. These two parallels show the realities of Grant's life and personality, neither demonizing him nor canonizing him for his behavior. The film simply tries to point out that Grant was not the perpetrator of any crime, that he was unfairly treated and killed, only because of his race. Grant makes for an interesting character, his kindness interlacing with his own personal demons throughout the narrative. This film serves well as an indignant example of the unfair conventions of police brutality, than as a biopic, yet still this entertains throughout as a film. The editing is amazing, the score is poignant in its placement, the performances from Jordan, Butler, and Diaz are realistic and thoughtfully achieved, and the direction from Coogler makes for an interesting watch. The only thing keeping this from being perfect is that it is pointed, and is trying more to educate than entertain, which explains the short runtime and lack of interiority from Grant. I highly recommend this film for those grappling with present events, or for those who just want to watch a well-made, politically motivated piece of filmmaking.

Manu Gino

Every step brings you closer to the edge.
Nice Film! Fruitvale Station is a solid film, well paced and edited, with a strong lead performance by Michael B.… MoreEvery step brings you closer to the edge.
Nice Film! Fruitvale Station is a solid film, well paced and edited, with a strong lead performance by Michael B. Jordan and some standout work by Octavia Spencer. One wonders how much of the screenplay is based on truth, but whether this is or isn't a biased view of an event by the filmmaker, it is highly emotionally affective filmmaking. In light of other recent, racially charged headlines, it cannot help but become a hot topic. This vivid, stark reenactment of an event that should never have happened is a relatively simple tale of a complex life, a kind of urban, American tragedy. It is a powerful, filmic statement that raises questions that demand answers.
This is the true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and feels something in the air. Not sure what it is, he takes it as a sign to get a head start on his resolutions: being a better son to his mother, whose birthday falls on New Year's Eve, being a better partner to his girlfriend, who he hasn't been completely honest with as of late, and being a better father to T, their beautiful 4 year old daughter. He starts out well, but as the day goes on, he realizes that change is not going to come easy. He crosses paths with friends, family, and strangers, each exchange showing us that there is much more to Oscar than meets the eye. But it would be his final encounter of the day, with police officers at the Fruitvale BART station that would shake the Bay Area to its very core, and cause the entire nation to be witnesses to the story of Oscar Grant.

Michael S

An effortlessly powerful telling of of a real life tragedy. "Fruitvale Station," from first time writer/ director Ryan Coogler traces the last day in… MoreAn effortlessly powerful telling of of a real life tragedy. "Fruitvale Station," from first time writer/ director Ryan Coogler traces the last day in the life of Oscar Grant; a Bay Area resident who was fatally shot by police New Year's eve 2008.
Powerfully portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in a (finally!) star making role, Oscar is never portrayed as a saint. He's flawed, he's made poor decisions, and he's unmistakably human. Coogler sensitively walks us through an ordinary day, capturing inconsequential encounters, the embrace of family and friends, and an array of the little moments we take for granted. We know the horrific endgame (and the film opens with real cellphone footage of the indecent), which makes the proceedings even more poignant and emotionally devastating... having to watch fate take it's course with a loss of life that was avoidable.
Ryan Coogler has made a small triumph of human storytelling. He takes an account that could be dismissed as a newsroom statistic and reveals to us the person therein that we can all relate to. Mr. Grant was no saint, but who can attest to being one? The fact of the matter is he loved, he was loved, and he deserved better.

Alex roy

Very good drama with some fine performances and an engaging storyline, Fruitvale Station is one of those films that takes its time to take off, but when it… MoreVery good drama with some fine performances and an engaging storyline, Fruitvale Station is one of those films that takes its time to take off, but when it does, you can't tear yourself away from the screen. Based on a real life incident, Fruitvale Station is a memorable drama that will stay with you for a while long after you finished seeing it. Effectively directed by first time director by Ryan Coogler, who at a young age proves that he is a future talent behind the camera. With that being said, after this impressive first feature, I can't wait to see what he'll direct next. The film has the power to really question certain things, and you can\'t tear yourself away, as when you think it's going to be dull and boring, the pacing of the picture changes abruptly halfway through and the tone is much darker. In terms of drama, this is one of the most riveting films of the year, and honestly, I think expect that this one would be any good, however I was pleasantly surprised with the film, and it was a very well acted picture, that was straight forward and didn't sugar coat what really happened. Of course they probably forgot a few elements to make it your typical Hollywood film, but as a whole, Fruitvale Station is a stunning directorial effort, from a director who has plenty of potential in the medium. With that being said, his next film will certainly be something just as good, if not better. Fruitvale Station has a few weak moments, but it's elevated by powerful performances and effective direction that really makes this one stand out.